Color Tracking Car
August 2018 - September 2018
Status: Completed
Embedded Files
This project is an Arduino based car that can follow objects of certain colors. It uses the Pixy 2 camera to interface the image recognition data to the Arduino, which uses a custom motor controller circuit to drive the motors in the proper direction. It contains a PCB made specifically for this application, all mounted to a 3D printed chassis.
Purpose of the project
This project was designed to be a kit for members of the Computer Science Club to assemble and program. In order to do so, I needed to design the kit for quick and easy assembly. I aimed to achieve proficiency in PCB design, 3D modeling and 3D printing, as well as image recognition.
Demo of the finished car following the blue paper.
Outcome
After completion of this project, I now have proficiency in:
PCB Design
Image Recognition
Basic MOSFETS
3D Printing Practices
This project was a success, as the kit was easily reproducible so copies were handed out to the club. It was then assembled by the members who could then begin to program it. The original I created was able to follow objects of any color and change speed and direction accordingly.
Steps
Interface Motors and Camera with Arduino
The first step was finding a way to interface the motors with the Arduino. This was done using an external power supply and MOSFETs in order to switch on and off the motors appropriately. After that, the camera was attached and configured to communicate over I2C with the Arduino.
Create PCB
After the circuit was created, it was time to create a PCB so it could be handed out with the kit. I designed the PCB so that it could be soldered to headers and directly fitted onto the Arduino. Another addition was screw holes for the camera to attach to the PCB. The difficulty was fitting the camera and the distance sensor so they did not collide.
3D Model Chassis
Lastly, the chassis was 3D modeled. After taking measurements from the motors, a simple design was constructed to mount to the screw holes on the Arduino and the motor. Lastly, a back mount was added for a third wheel for stability. After that was done, I printed several of them to include with the kits.
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